- An exploration of safety standards in the burgeoning cannabis industry, underscored by the story of Lorna McMurrey and her mother's lawsuit against Trulieve Cannabis Corp.
- A discussion of how regulatory bodies enforce workplace safety standards, and what additional measures companies can implement to ensure a safer working environment.
- A call to action: stakeholders in the cannabis industry must prioritize employee safety over profits to avoid both financial and legal consequences.
The cannabis industry, experiencing a significant boom due to growing investor interest and the increasing wave of legalization, is also grappling with additional complex challenges. A key issue being workplace safety standards, which have been brought to the fore by the unfortunate case of Lorna McMurrey.
McMurrey, an employee in the cannabis industry, died in early 2022 from complications arising from "occupational asthma", as declared by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The incident was a first in the US cannabis landscape, sparking McMurrey's mother, Laura Bruneau, to launch a wrongful death and negligence lawsuit against Trulieve Cannabis Corp. Bruneau alleges that the company, considered as one of the top potential growth stocks in the country, did not provide sufficient protection for its workforce.
This death draws attention to the need for scrutinizing safety standards in the rapidly expanding cannabis industry. With reports hinting that the rate of accidents and injuries amongst cannabis industry workers surpasses those in more established industries, the effectiveness of existing safety standards and oversight come under question. This concerning trend towards higher accident rates implies potential fissures in safety protocols in an industry driven by economic considerations and investor demand.
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